Tag: fine print

Have you taken a DNA test to find out where in the world your ancestors came from? If so, congratulations! You may have helped create a new treatment of psoriasis. How is that even possible? Turns out a direct-to-consumer genetic testing company sold the rights to DNA samples to a major drug company to help […]

With the holidays behind you, now is a good time to take stock of the gifts you’ve received. Gift cards are a popular gift because they let recipients pick what they want to buy. So-called “prepaid credit cards” offer even more choice than traditional gift certificates because they’re accepted wherever credit cards are accepted. Ontario […]

From competition law concerns to the value of personal information, big tech companies are facing increasing scrutiny. This summer, Apple and Facebook both admitted to listening to their users’ conversations to “improve” their services. In August 2019, Facebook confirmed that it paid outside contractors to transcribe audio clips from users. It did not tell the […]

Most people have had the experience of a pushy door-to-door sales representative who will not take ‘no’ for an answer.  Unfortunately, these sales tactics often result in homeowners being misled and pressured into signing contracts they don’t fully understand, for products that don’t perform as they were led to believe they would. Ontario has banned […]

A number of people have complained about a Toronto-based weight-loss scheme. The company, Weight Loss Grants, promised consumers money if they lost weight. According to Global News, the scheme offered to reimburse consumers for certain weight-loss expenses if they successfully met their goal on a certain date. The company directed participants to weight-loss services offered […]

Anyone who knows me knows I have particularly strong view about small overcharges. I wrote an LLM thesis on the topic.[efn_note]”Keep The Change?: A behavioural approach to class action antipathy where losses are trivial” (2018) [pdf].[/efn_note] Here’s my thing: assuming companies deal with thousands or millions of customers, and assuming customers aren’t going to sue […]

Canadians send over a million electronic money transfers – over $360 million – each day. But, as CBC News reports, e-transfers may not be as secure as you think. Anne Hoover discovered this the hard way. She sent more than $1,700 by e-transfer to a friend, only to find that it was lost in transit. […]